National Gas Hydrate and Coal Bed Methane Programme

As the Petroleum Minister, T.R. Baalu always looked upon various options and choices in all matters, big or small. Another frontier initiative pursued by him ardently was the National Gas Hydrate Programme to harness natural gas through this route from deep sea off shore near Andaman Islands known for a vast repository of huge gas reserves in the form of gas hydrates.

Unfortunately, his brief stint as Petroleum Minister, just for two to three years could not help that ambitious project reaching a take off stage.

Coal-Bed-Methane programme (CBM) was another effort by Baalu which was given shape in consultation with the Coal Ministry and the Law Ministry and a new policy framework for exploration and exploitation of CBM in the coal fields of the country was put in place, without affecting the environmental aspects and in consultation with local community and farmers.